How to get my DS to be more active

[feemcgee]

DS is 15, currently has one more week of study leave but doesn't have any more exams. Find him really hard to talk to without him becoming defensive. He's got friends and a girlfriend, but spends a lot of time in his room on his X Box. I want to make sure he's out and doing at lesat one thing every day, but he's so stubborn he just refuses if i suggest something. We get on well, but this is hard. Any suggestions about how to make this work?

Is he usually like this or has this just been his behaviour since the exams?

My son (15) has barely left his room since his last exam and he's usually always out and pretty active. I think he is just tired and has temporarily lost his sense of purpose after putting all effort and energy into these exams. I am hoping this is just a response to that so could it be the same for your son?

Leave him alone. He’s had a tough year. Hes probably playing with friends on his Xbox,

Mine was like this. He’s fine and normal. Why does he have to go out and do something every day?

I was thinking of posting something similar about my DD. She’s still got more exams after half term so leaving it for now but I am going to struggle with her lounging in her room all day all summer long. She doesn’t have any friends so won’t go out & see people, she has one friend/BF who always comes to our house… she’ll do things with me or DH if her siblings aren’t there but that’s not always easy to engineer!

Anyway that was all me & no solutions! I’m thinking that my DD will have to walk the dog once exams finished, at least that gets her out everyday.

Thank you for understanding, I feel the same about the summer break, we are in Scotland and it is seven weeks. I absolutely accept that he has had a stressful time, and that a break is great, but sitting in a dark room for hours and hours on his X box doesn't seem healthy to me.
Anyway, he's off out into town with his friends just now!

You're quite right to encourage him to get out and do something. Being sedentary and staring at a screen for long periods isn't going to do anyone any good.

Tell him that for his wellbeing and future self, you're expecting him to be active in some way daily.
Give him some choices and then tell him he's doing one of those or you're changing the WiFi settings.

How about
Swimming
Cycling
Running
Any clubs he can join

Does he volunteer anywhere? Would be a great thing for him to do to learn some skills and have something in his cv when he's looking for a job or for his uni statement.